A method for estimating a time delay including the steps of first, estimating a channel spectrum from a received signal and a known reference signal, second, extracting a virtual array structure from the estimated channel spectrum, and third, determining the signal time delay using the virtual array structure. Further, a system for estimating a time delay including a channel spectrum estimator, means for extracting a virtual array structure and means for determining the time delay is provided. The channel spectrum estimator is used for estimating a channel spectrum from a received signal and a known reference signal. The means for extracting a virtual array structure uses the estimated channel spectrum. The means for determining the time delay uses the virtual array structure.